How I Freed a Nation
by ConfoederatioHelvetica
Summary: Siromaa is a small island in the Baltic Sea who has lived a peacefully isolated life…until England invaded her and made her his colony. She is little more than a prisoner, ruled by a puppet empress, and simply wants her freedom. Who else should take interest in her than one Soviet nation by the name of Ostrogot? A sequel to 'How I Became a Nation' written by Shadowraven45662 and me
1. Siromaa's Diary Entry 1

Dear Diary,

My name is Parva, no my name is Siromaa…that's my true name. The first is the name that bastard Britain gave me when he took me. It means "small" would you believe? Small enough to control….small enough to invade…small enough to completely forget about. My other name is much nicer. "Graceful land" I like that much more. I can't remember who gave me that name. It's been a long time since I saw any other nations. Apart from Britain that is.  
I'll explain how I ended up this way, it's a long story but I've got time to tell it.  
I'm only a small country, a little island in the Baltic sea, with a small population. I have a fairly moderate climate, never too hot but bitterly cold in the wintertime. That's why I have lots of lovely hats and scarves hehe. A-Anyway because my land is small I am also small. About 5ft and a bit…oh that's a metre and a half in metric measurements. I have brown hair that reaches my shoulders which I keep back with a silver and emerald circlet. The emeralds match my eye colour and they're commonly found on my island.  
I used to live a quiet life, I had help from a couple of other nations, one of whom gave me my name Siromaa, but I've long forgotten their names. I wish I could remember. I was trained in archery, which I still practice now. I have my own longbow and crossbow and sometimes I spend the afternoon fletching my own arrows. Even Britain appreciates my archery skills.  
It was during the time of the Napoleonic wars that everything turned sour for me. Britain decided that he should create a northern stronghold in case of attack. He chose my island upon which to do this. My emperor had wanted to settle things diplomatically. In order for both sides to get what we wanted from this arrangement. After all, I too was under threat from Napoleon and this alliance seemed to be of benefit for the both of us.  
I was wrong.  
Britain didn't want diplomacy, he wanted territory.  
Before I knew it I was at war. A war I was never going to be able to win. Britain had better technology, weaponry and outnumbered my army vastly. Worse still was when the Aunt of my Emperor betrayed him, betrayed us, and sealed the takeover. She was crowned Empress while my emperor was executed for "treason" and I became property of the British Empire.  
Property.  
"From now on you are under my control; I shall run your trade and your politics for you. Do not question, do not resist. Your name is Parva and that is how you shall be address from now on."  
The first few years were the worst. As my people and I resisted England's rule. Rebellions were crushed with such force the pain would last for days. Soon we learned to bow our heads and stay silent. To obey and not to question. That was how we survived.  
My inner warrior wanted rebellion and independence, but I knew I was not strong enough.  
One day though, one day I knew I would be free. I just need help.  
But where am I going to find that help? It's been centuries now…. I worry it may never be coming.  
Yours,

Siromaa


	2. An Awesome Introduction

The room is familiar, dimly lit by a single lamp, standing on a small wooden table. It illuminates beside it a large armchair, velvet, and occupied by a single person. Clad in clothes that look identical to Russia's, with an ushanka perched on his head, it is none other than Ostrogot. His eyes perceive the beholder in a critical, yet at the same time arrogant fashion and at they display signs of recognition.  
In his hands he holds a small glass of some clear liquid that, deducting by the overall scene, could only be vodka.  
"Ah…privyet again comrade" he says in his stereotypically heavy accented voice, his mouth curling into a smirk. "It has been some time since ve last talked, da?"  
He takes a swig from the glass.  
"Ah…that feels good." He says in normal English, swirling the remainder of the vodka around the bottom of his glass.  
"How Belarus is? Oh, she's wonderful I tell you, absolutely marvelous. And that's both inside and outside of bed"  
He laughs.  
"I can see you blushing even though the room is dark! Come on, what do you expect me to do? A world full of all these girls…the options are unimaginable I tell you! Not that it would excite you much of course."  
He takes another gulp.  
"I found that it is very much an acquired taste…the Vodka, not Belarus, mind you. The more you drink it, the better it gets. I can hold my liquor against any of the other nations, and believe me, I've tried…well, maybe Russia can still beat me, but he's had centuries of practice after all."  
He pours the rest of the vodka down his throat and tosses the glass behind him, where it smashes against the wall and breaks into a thousand bits.  
"Oh…will you just look at the mess" he says, not bothering to look around at all. "Someone has to clean it up. MAID!" he shouts, again in a Russian accent.  
Someone shuffles into the room, but the person is not immediately identifiable as it is rather dark.  
"Yes, what can I do for you?" says a male voice that is full of resignation.  
"Glass shattered on floor. Vould you clean dat up, da?"  
The person emits a deep sigh.  
"Do I have a choice?"  
Ostrogot's smirk grows wider.  
"Nyet, dat is best thing, da? Now get to vork."  
"As you wish."  
The person shuffles into the light, and it is revealed to be England, dressed in a maid outfit. He glances quickly at Ostrogot, and his face glows bright red with shame and anger, but he quickly turns away and starts gathering up the glass fragments.  
Ostrogot turns his head away from England, and interlocks his fingers, waiting, tapping a foot on the floor. After a few minutes, England straightens up and walk out of the room.  
"Now that we have privacy again…where were we? Ah yes, drinking. You know, I used to not like alcohol at all, but then- what?" his face takes on a puzzled expression "Oh, him?" he jerks a finger at the door through which England left "what's he doing here? Funny you should ask, that's a hilarious story! Basically he's here for punishment. He did something very naughty indeed, something I didn't like at all. He made himself very unpopular with the other nations too, so I made sure that he got his penance."  
He lapses into thoughtful silence for a moment.  
"I was going to go on about the drinking, but I think it's time for another story…what do you think? Ah, never mind what you think, I'll tell it anyway, you'll love it, and if not, that's not my problem, but for me, it's absolutely hilarious, just like England in his costume." He laughs.  
"So, pay close attention, for it all started on a day that I thought was going to absolutely unremarkable..."


	3. The Spy

Many of my days as a nation were rather dull, it's not always as fun as one would imagine, being a nation and all. It's not difficult, just tedious most of the time and when I look at it, it seemed to me as if I just had a desk job in some large company. I had more than a cubicle of course; I had a whole house to myself after all. Still I was confined to my office a lot for the time, doing paperwork. Becoming a real nation as I was with Russia's aid required a lot of reading and signing documents. And my life as a country as only ever spiced up by Belarus and for that I was really grateful.

My 'sister' was also there to help. She may have been an exact mirror of the character I had become, but she was also extraordinarily good at housework, which she did together with Belarus. At least that way I didn't have to worry about having her at my elbow all the time, I don't think I could have gotten anything done at all.  
The day in question on the other hand was not dull. That day just happened to be, as there so often was, time for another world meeting. You're probably wondering why I was there in the first place, only major countries were supposed to be there. Well, I did sort of become a major nation on paper, and I thought that Russia must have had his hands in there too, making sure that I could attend the meeting along everyone else. And they were my secondary source of entertainment. These meetings were supposed to solve the world's problems, but what it always boiled on to was countries arguing about who was better in various aspects of their culture. Had this been any other place, it would have had disastrous consequences over time, but here nothing happened, nothing at all. I even joined in a lot of the time, because it was fun. I had seemingly acquired a Russia-like characteristic. Home was too quiet, so I enjoyed this change.

Today the discussion turned to food. For the thirty-second time, I kept a tally on these things. It was not a point I argued in passionately. Russian food was good, but it was not exceptionally good, nor exceptionally bad, so I merely leant back and watched them all slug it out with each other.  
"I said it a million times before and it still iz true, my food iz much better zan yours!" said France. He and England had each other's collars.  
"How are you insult my food! That was the stuff that helped build a mighty empire! But of course you'd know nothing about that would you now?" he retorted.  
"I 'ad an empire!"  
"For not even ten years! I had an empire that spanned the globe and lasted for centuries! I almost had you conquered once too!"  
I smiled as I saw tears come to France's eyes. Whenever the subject of Joan of Arc was even slightly brushed France got all emotional. He was pathetic.  
Over on the other side of the room Greece and Spain were conversing quite peacefully about their food.  
"I like gyros…" Greece said, on the verge of falling asleep.  
"I've never had gyros, but I brought churros! Would you like some?"  
"Ve…" Italy joined them "Spain! Spain! Spain! Can I have-a-some churros? Please? Please Spain?"  
"Okay, here you go Italy!"  
China came over, holding in his hands a basket of sweets.  
"Are you sharing? Mind if I join in?"  
Spain smiled.  
"No please, take a seat….would you like some churros?"  
America had no joined England and France. He was digging into a hamburger he had brought along.  
"Mff…eryone….knos…tha'…I've…go…tha…be…foo-!"  
"Swallow before you open your mouth America, 'as England taught you no manners?" France had momentarily diverted his attention from England to face America.  
"You cannot possibly call what you eat 'food' it is really not surprising that you are going the way of the whale and becoming so fat one could harvest you for lard. Japan! What do you think?!"  
Japan who had been sitting quietly in his seat, trying not to get involved, looked down, embarrassed and flustered.  
"Prease reave me out of this." He stammered.

It was at that moment that Switzerland stormed out, shouting at the top of his lungs about 'waste of time'. I swear I could hear his rifle going off several times.  
Germany meanwhile had his head down on his one arm, and was banging his fist on the table in frustration.  
The noise from the row that France, England and America had was loud, but I could just make out what he was muttering.  
"Every time…zis is a nightmare…vot am I even doing here? I could be at ze Oktoberfest…"  
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and looked around.  
The door was ajar from when Switzerland had stormed out, and I thought I'd seen someone outside, peeking in.  
I stood up. Belarus, who had been standing by my side until now, quiet and loyal as a watchdog, made to follow me.  
"Stay here. I vill be right back lyubit."  
I kissed her on the cheek, her skin, pale as it was, was nevertheless warm to my lips, then I slowly walked to the door and left the conference room. No one would miss me for a couple of minutes the way that things were going in there.

The hallway outside was completely deserted.  
I was about to put what I'd seen down to imagination, but then I saw further movement down the hall, and this time I was sure.  
I walked calmly down the hall in that general direction, not as if I'd see someone, but rather as if I was heading to the bathroom.  
Knowing the building well, I was aware that it had many niches and alcoves that could serve as a hiding place for someone small enough.  
I passed the point where I'd seen the movement, and for a split second I could see the dim outline of a person.  
In a sudden movement I turned towards the nice, my hand shooting out. The person was too slow to escape, and I got hold of a hand of fabric, lifting the person up and dragging her into the light.  
"Vell vell vell…vhat do ve have here?"  
It was a girl, rather short, with shoulder length brown hair. She had stunningly green eyes that shone like emeralds, matching in fact, the emeralds in the silver circlet she was wearing on her head.  
And she was a fighter, judging by the way she was kicking and thrashing.  
"Let me down dammit! Let me down you kusipää! You suskin! You subingalvis!"  
And very multilingual too apparently.  
But I had her by the scruff of the neck and my physical strength, which had reached inhuman levels by now, made her escape impossible. My arm didn't even as much as waver.  
Eventually she gave up, now hanging limply in the air. I gave her a wicked grin. I loved doing this, holding people up in the air, helpless. It made me feel powerful, and rightfully so.  
"And vhat is your name, little one?"  
"I'M NOT SHORT DAMMIT!"  
I didn't have time for this.  
I shook her vigorously.  
"Answer my qvestion!"  
"I TOLD YOU TO LET ME DOWN!"  
"If you don't answer my qvestion I vill take yu to oder nations and den yu vill be in deep trouble…"  
She stopped shouting.  
"Is…England is in there….right? Is he?"  
She looked scared.  
I nodded.  
"Da, he is."  
"Please! Please don't take me in there! I promise I'll answer all of your questions, just please don't take me to England!" she begged, her hands clasped together in mid-air.  
Odd…why did she fear England so much? Well, at least now she's given me a way to bend her to my will. Bad move.  
"Vell den, who are yu and vhat are yu doing here?"  
"You promise not to take me to England."  
"Da." I assured her.  
"My name is Siromaa, but England calles me 'Parva'. I'm an island in the Baltic sea, and I used to be independent, but I'm now little more than a satellite to England…please, let me go, or he'll find me and then-"  
"Yu haven't answered second qvestion." I silenced her, before she could break out into panic once more "Vhat. Are. Yu. Doing. Here?"  
"I…I…" she fidgeted nervously "I was just trying to listen in and find out what was happening in the world…I'm kept isolated by England."  
This was a silly excuse to me. I didn't have internet because I was a Soviet nation, but everyone else had…more or less.  
"Yu don't vant to lie to me…" I warned her "I can get very…" I felt my aura start going "…unpleasant, da?"  
"It's the truth!" she pleaded "I swear I-" she stopped.  
"Vhat? Run out of lies?" I sneered.  
"Ostrogot!" I heard Belarus call.  
I turned to see her standing close by, looking cross.  
"Yu said yu vould only be gone for a short vhile. This has been too long. Yu know vhat happened last time? And who is that?!" she brandished her knife at Siromaa "Is that the reason vhy yu left?!"  
I knew where she was going with this, but I knew how to respond to it.  
"I found dis one hiding outside of conference room. She vanted to listen in and says dat she belongs to England. I don't think she is telling truth. Ve should interrogate her lyubit, she could be spy."  
"Spy?" Belarus said, eyeing Siromaa with distrust, then looked back to me "Da, agreed. Let's go. Meeting vas going novhere. Big brother Russia vill take care of anything."  
She marched away, and I followed behind her, still carrying Siromaa. As we walked I chuckled darkly and whispered in her ear.  
"Don't vorry…ve have vays of making yu talk…"


	4. Siromaa's Diary Entry 2

Dear Diary,

My apologies for the bad writing, its dark in here and I'm still shaking a little from all this…  
I decided, to crash a world meeting. Of a sorts. Not exactly the "crash" as in run in screaming and throwing stuff like I've heard one nation does. What was his name again? Sealand! Britain's always complaining about him. He gives that little micro nation more freedom than he does me…  
So I decided that as a nation I had the right to attend world meetings.  
I should right?  
Right?  
It took me a while to find out when there was going to be one. I hear very little from Britain but thankfully he complains an awful lot so it was easy enough to eventually hear a date time and place for it. Getting there was a bit difficult though, it took me a while to convince my Empress I wanted to travel. Even longer to convince her not to tell Britain. But finally my plan fell into place.  
I must say these other nations know how to design good architecture. It's nothing like my island. I've had a little industrial growth thanks to Britain, and my emerald Jewellery is sold worldwide (by Britain) but this…this was incredible.  
I made my way down the hall, noting that there were many alcoves in which I could hide myself should the need arise, and found a spot where I could listen in unnoticed. Sitting myself down I pressed my ear to the door and listened. This was it…my first experience of a world meeting!  
"We all know that English food is superior!"  
Yes… my first world meeting and they're talking about food. I put it down to there being a lack of newsworthy topics lately. They must be just learning of each other's culture.  
The door was suddenly flung open and a blonde man strode out, firing a rifle wildly. I was forced to dart back into the shadows and cover my ears. Rifle shots are loud!  
I didn't realise I'd been seen then but I knew it was a good idea to make my way out. Especially since the next thing I hear is the steady stomp of boots walking along the corridor. I could see a tall man in a long coat and furry hat standing out there. I prayed to Thor and Freya he couldn't see me.  
They must not have been able to hear me. Because the next thing I'm aware of is being picked up by the scruff of my clothing like I'm a stray cat or something. Worst thing? HE CALLED ME SHORT DAMMIT  
He kept questioning me, worse yet he threatened to get Britain! If there was one thing I didn't need was him finding me here! He'd punish me so harshly! So I tried to tell him…but he didn't believe me at all.  
I guess he had no reason to….I'm only a small island after all. And I've been in isolation so long it's no wonder no one remembers me.  
Then someone else came along. A girl this time. Much prettier than me….  
When I think about it they both were… the man was tall and eheheh handsome... and she was just…so beautiful. Platinum blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that matched her long dress. The worrying thing was the knife she was pointing at me. I got carried off and they locked me in a cupboard!  
They said it was until I told the truth… but I told them!  
What if they fetch Britain?  
What if they never come back?  
Help!

Siromaa


	5. Shadows of the Past

We had left the meeting without hesitation, not even bothering to sign out. No one would notice with all the commotion that was going on anyway, and if necessary, Russia could excuse us after all.  
No one in their right mind would have dared argue with Russia, not unless they had a death wish.

We took Siromaa, the little nation, back to our place, and locked her in an iron cupboard. I wanted to keep her as close as possible, and we didn't have any prison cells in the house. They were still under construction.  
Belarus had also calmed down.  
She wasn't nearly as jealous anymore these days than she used to be with her brother Russia before I came along.  
"Big brother! I vant yu to promise me that yu vill never go running off again vithout me! Promise me big brother, promise me, promise me, promise meee!"  
As I said, not nearly as jealous.  
I guess it's because we're married and our love is cemented in that way. Also because she knows that I'm addicted to her, and she to me like cat to catnip and we exploit that fact of cats, I felt my cat Ostroshka softly brush against my leg while I was sitting in my tall armchair chair in the living room, sipping on a glass of vodka.  
He meowed, and then curled up at my feet, chewing on a piece of tuna.  
He'd taken a great liking to tuna recently, and there was seldom a moment when I saw him eating that it wasn't tuna. He didn't get it from me though, so I wondered where he did…was someone else feeding hi perhaps? Ostroshka didn't like strangers very much. He scratched and bit at America when he came for a 'state visit'.  
My train of thought was interrupted when Belarus came into the room and sat down on the sofa, leaning across the gap and putting her hand on mine.  
I lifted it up and kissed it.  
"Vhat is plan?" she asked me.  
Personally, I wasn't so sure myself.  
"I vant to find out who she is and vhy she vas at the meeting, I am still not believing her story."  
"Yu said she vas a spy?"  
"Possibly. Maybe she's not, she didn't look like one. But vhen has dat ever stopped us?"  
I grinned at her "after all, calling someone a spy is best vay to take them into custody, da?"  
She gave me the smallest of smiles. She was very much amused.  
"Da. So, ve should interrogate her? Dat is vhat yu are planning, da?"  
"Da lyubit, it is."  
"Den…vhat are ve vaiting for?"  
I paused for a moment while taking another sip of vodka.  
"I am no expert on interrogation methods. I never had any practice. And I fear yu vould kill her too soon…"  
"Especially if she keeps looking at my big brother like that…" she muttered under her breath so that I could barely hear.  
"Vhat?"  
"Yu didn't notice the vay she looked at yu?" she asked, her voice growing cold as ice.  
"Njet…I didn't look at her too closely…"  
"The vay she looked at yu…" Belarus' eyes narrowed, and her aura appeared. "Beneath fear there vas something else…"  
I leant over and kissed her.  
Ah…paranoia. She was afraid of losing me to that twerp of a nation. She had nothing to fear. And I demonstrated that to her, then and there on the sofa.

A while later there was a knock on the front door.  
Straightening my coat and adjusting my ruffled hair I went to open it. On the doorstep, dressed in a green military coat and a matching long skirt, was the very person I had invited to help me deal with Siromaa.  
North Korea.  
We had a bit of a history, North Korea and I.  
She eyed me with a disapproving look, noticing the bite marks on my neck and the slight untidiness of my uniform.  
"Straighten your cloak Ostrogot." She said to me, stepping past me into the house, taking off the gloves she'd worn.  
"Welcome North Korea."  
"Your weather is cold." She said, not bothering to take off her boots and taking a large quantity of snow into the house.  
October in Siberia had more snow than January anywhere else.  
"How is your glorious leader?" I asked her politely.  
Her eyes misted over slightly, as if she was remembering something wonderful.  
"My glorious leader radiates the strength and vitality of a young bull and yet has the grace of a cherry blossom…he guides me generously towards a golden future."  
"Good…good" I replied nonchalantly.  
With North Korea, this was just one of the things that you had to get used to. She simply didn't know any better, but I didn't' mind. We were both communist nations, and so we had a lot in common. She treated me in a slightly condescending way, but I knew that deep down she respected me, even if she didn't show it.  
I lead her to the living room. She immediately took my favorite armchair for herself and left me to sit on the sofa.  
I picked up a plate of Vatrushka that I'd prepared for her, and offered it to her.  
"Snacks?" I said innocently.  
She eyed the platter disdainfully for a brief period of a few seconds and then took it from me. She gave me one furtive glance, and then started cramming the cakes into her mouth.  
I smiled contently.  
North Korea. Always hungry.  
It's one of the reason why we'd become such good friends.  
She didn't have a lot of food; I had a lot of farmland but no use for it. So we traded. I supplied her with food, and she supplied m with weapons and the like. My industry, which was little enough, was taking its time to expand.  
For all of her faults, she allowed herself one guilty pleasure if one could call it that.  
Music.  
She was very talented, both in singing and playing various instruments.  
Once, in celebration of her glorious leader's birthday, I'd sent her a guitar, hidden in a crate of assault rifles, because it was a guitar I'd bout from Russia, and such capitalist practices were not allowed in her state.  
Still, I was glad that I could make her happy, and I knew she was.  
Apart from that, we were free to trade among each other, as we shared borders and an ideology, even though I did not share her faith in her Glorious leader.  
My own boss, called the General-President, was merely a puppet for my own devices.  
In my case, the country ruled itself. Ironic, considering that sounded like democracy, and in effect that as hat it was, self-governing democracy.

I watched North Korea as she finished eating the Vatrushka, picking up the crumbs with her fingers and leaving it spotlessly clean. I didn't blame her, she looked very thin.  
She didn't thank me of course, but went straight to business.  
"So" she said, wiping the last of the crumbs from her lips "Why did you call me here? Now of all times?"  
"Well, yu see North Korea, I have prisoner."  
She perked up at that.  
"Oh…who is it? Did you catch America? Did you?"  
I laughed.  
"Njet comrade, if only."  
Her face fell.  
"Oh…who is it then?"  
"She said her name vas 'Siromaa', vhether that is her name or not remains to be seen."  
"'Siromaa'?" North Korea's eyes narrowed "I have never heard of her."  
"Da, me too until today. She say she is island in Baltic Sea, but I've looked at maps and I can't find her anyvhere. I think she lying to me."  
"And what do you need me for?"  
"I am no interrogator North Korea, I have no experience in dat field, but yu…yu have years of practice."  
She looked critically at me for a moment.  
"And why should I devote my time to your cause?"  
"Well, she connected to England in some vay, and I think it possible that she is spy, da?"  
"A spy?!"  
Her face changed from puzzlement to anger in a flash.  
"Exactly."  
"The capitalist pigs are trying to spy on us! They are trying to destroy socialism and take the world for themselves!"  
"So yu see, it imperative dat ve find out vhat her plans are."  
She rose from the armchair.  
"Vhere is she?!" she demanded.  
I lead the way, opening the door to the basement.  
"Dis vay."

We descended the concrete steps into the underground bunker. My house had been chosen carefully, and one thing I wanted included was an underground nuclear bomb shelter. It also served as an excellent makeshift prison.  
It was cold down here, the moisture from our breath rose in front of us in clouds as we walked down the hallway.  
Belarus had locked Siromaa away in an iron cupboard of the heating room, which was warmer than the rest.  
Siromaa did not have to die just yet.  
I unlocked the room and flipped the switch.  
Siromaa must have noticed that, because she began banging on the door of the cupboard.  
"LET ME OUT DAMMIT! I WON'T STAND FOR BEING IMPRISONED HERE!"  
North Korea immediately drew a pistol and pointed it at the cupboard door.  
"Why didn't you tie her up?!"  
"She not dangerous yu know. I can keep her under control easily. She may be fighter, but ve'll keep her in check, don't vorry."  
She didn't seem reassured, and took up firing position as I unlocked the iron door.  
Siromaa was sitting on the floor of the cupboard which was just big enough for her.  
The moment I had opened it she tried to scramble away between my legs, but I caught her and lifted her up by her uniform, which by now was a lot less tidy then as it had been when I'd caught her at the world meeting.  
"Njet, yu vill stay here, da?"  
She stopped struggling, but glowered at me.  
"That is her?" North Korea asked, her expression unreadable.  
I turned my head to look at her.  
"Da."  
North Korea grinned and stowed away her pistol.  
"I don't know why I was worried, she doesn't look that tough. She's tiny."  
"I'M NOT SHORT DAMMIT!"  
"She only island after all."

The interrogation room was small, and bare. There was a table, two chairs on either side of it. A single naked bulb was hanging down from the ceiling.  
One of the chairs was merely wood; the other was heavy, with leather straps on the arms and feet, where the prisoner was supposed to be fixed in place.  
I sat Siromaa don in the chair and strapped her in. She struggled against the bindings, but was unsuccessful. She looked even smaller in the large chair, and the strap that was supposed to go around her chest was on the height of her neck, so I thought it best not to tighten it.  
North Korea prowled around the table, while I sat down in the chair across the table, facing Siromaa.  
I switched on the recording device.  
"Interrogation subject: Siromaa."  
Siromaa rattled the chair with no effect.  
"Interrogators: Ostrogot and North Korea. Will the subject please confirm her identity?"  
I placed the microphone in the middle of the table between me and Siromaa.  
"Are you or are you not Siromaa, known as 'Parva' as a colony under British rule?"  
"THAT'S LIKE WHAT I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU THE WHOLE DAMN TIME!"  
I ignored her.  
Her shouting was punished by North Korea who stepped up and slapped Siromaa lightly on the side of the face.  
In communist states, there was no such thing as good cop bad cop. There was only pain or no pain.  
"I will ask again; are you who you purport to be?"  
She sniffed, hanging her down.  
"Yes…" she answered.  
"Why were you at the meeting? Were you trying to spy on us?"  
"Yes." she said "I mean, no! No I totally wasn't!"  
There was another slap.  
"Yes…" she whispered.  
"Vere yu intending on getting information to bring down Socialism? Are yu spy? Yu admitted to having connection to England, are yu vorking for him?"  
"NO!"  
That earned her another slap in the face, but she didn't relent.  
"I totally would never work for that idiot! Do you know what he did to me?!"  
"I don't care. Yu should vorry about vhat ve do vith yu if yu don't answer qvestion."  
She got another slap into the face.  
"No…no I'm not working for him…I woul never…ever…cooperate with him."  
"Bur yu have no vay to prove dat…fact is, I found yu outside of conference room. Yu vere trying to hide from me. Yu say yu have no connection vith England, yet yu have no vay of proving it. To be safe I vill have to assume yu are a spy trying to bring down our glorious Socialism."  
"I'm not!" she shouted "Listen to me dammit!"  
Another slap in the face.  
"And yu know vhat happens vith spies here, da?"  
She swallowed. She could just imagine.  
"So, yu have two options. Either yu vill cooperate vith us, or yu vill be tried for treason and executed for safety of soviet empire."  
"But I-"  
Slap!  
"No buts. Yu are guilty until proven innocent, and as such ve shall proceed. This interrogation is terminated unt-"  
There was a knock on the door of the interrogation room.  
North Korea went to answer, an I heard Lithuania's voice.  
"Uhm…hello…is master Ostrogot here?"  
North Korea looked at me and nodded in Lithuania's direction. I paused the recorder, got up and went over to the door.  
"Vhat is it Litva, I am in middle of something right now."  
"I…I am sorry, but Russia is on the phone."  
Russia?  
"Out of the vay!" I told him, pushing him aside. I strode to the phone that was just down the hall and picked it up.  
"Privjet?"  
_"Ah, brother, it is good to hear from yu, da?"_  
"I am sorry Russia, but I vas in the middle of something. Vhat is it that you vant from me?"  
_"Da…England just called me, and said that one of his islands vent missing. She is small, brown hair, green eyes, and can get very angry and answers to the name of Parva. Have yu seen her?"  
_"Vhy…?"  
_"England said that he's looked everywhere for her, but can't find her. He says she 'escaped'."  
_I was silent for a moment.  
"Tell him…" I said, thinking fast "Tell him I'll keep an eye out, and if I find her I'll notify him through you immediately."  
_"Da brother. I vill tell him. Do svidanya."  
_"Do svedanja comrade." I said and hung up.  
I walked back to the room, deep in thought.  
I'd believed Siromaa from the start really, but it was just in my soviet nature to be mistrusting and to automatically see anything suspicious as an attempt to bring down my beloved Socialism. This seemed like proof of what she'd said.  
England had said that she'd 'escaped' from him. Plus Russia had given some clues about her. He had said 'she answers to the name'. Russia used that description with his own underlings, reducing them to little more than pets.  
Apparently Siromaa or Parva as England called her, really was under England's complete control, and was probably not too happy about it either.

I entered the room again, just to witness a shouting match between Siromaa and North Korea.  
Over all the noise I couldn't even hear what they were saying, but when I cleared my throat, they both fell silent.  
"I have received new intelligence. Siromaa is not enemy spy. She is enemy defector."  
"Defector?" they both said simultaneously.  
I nodded.  
"Da. Vell, it seems dat ve vere vrong after all. Siromaa, yu are-"  
I stopped, as a revelation came to me.  
There was complete silence.  
"Yes?" Siromaa asked.  
I couldn't believe what I saw. In front of my eyes, Siromaa and North Korea seemed to almost morph. Their clothing changed, while their faces stayed the same, and I staggered. Now that they were together, I recognized them…why hadn't I seen it before? Had I been blind? What was happening?  
I staggered.  
North Korea saw, and - rather surprisingly - rushed to my aid, supporting me.  
"Ostrogot? What is wrong?"  
I put a hand to my head.  
"I…I…I'm not sure…"  
In fact, I was completely sure what was wrong. I'd just been reminded of something that I'd thought I'd forgotten all this time.  
I straightened myself.  
"Vybachte... I vill be right back." I said, and left the room once again.  
Out of sight of the other two, I leant against the concrete wall, trying to calm myself.  
When I'd seen their faces simultaneously something triggered in my brain, triggered memories of a past that I'd left behind.  
They looked like people I'd known…back…back when I hadn't yet been a nation, before I'd been summoned.  
Was my past catching up with me? Why? And how?  
For the first time in many months a shadow of doubt crossed my mind.  
I may have had a wife. I had allies, enemies, a house and land I could call my own, and an ideology that was fun to obey...but it raised a fundamental question of my existence. Was it still all a charade, was I playing a role, or was I really who I used to pretend to be?  
Who in the world was I?


	6. Siromaa's Diary Entry 3

Dear Diary,

I have a horrible feeling at some point they may find this and examine what I've been writing. It's not exactly like I keep it discrete mind, I've found a brief moment where I can scribble this… some sort of commotion is going on right now but I'm not really listening.

They've taken me out of that awful cupboard thankfully. It was getting really stuffy in there and I don't like enclosed spaces. And the two of them, the tall one and another Named North Korea (why does that name seem familiar to me?) decided they'd start interrogating me. They didn't believe me at all. Not to mention North Korea kept slapping me! Bloody hurt too…

Thankfully the tall one, I heard him addressed as Ostrogot (another familiar sounding name but I can't for the life of me remember where…), left the room to answer a phone call. Of course I was still denied escape thanks to North Korea remaining in her seat. She kept staring at me…unblinking. It was extremely unnerving and I didn't want to write then since she might have taken this book from me. So I reached into my pocket instead. I'd forgotten up until then… I still had some salmiakki left over in there.

North Korea's eyes seemed to light up when she saw me take it out though… I just began nibbling on a piece and for I second I could swear she was drooling. When I think about it she did look awfully thin…

"You're going to Hand that over right now" she hissed. Took me by surprise. I politely offered her some; one of the things I have learned under England's rule that has been remotely useful has been manners, and she snatched the whole box from me!

Naturally I protested and it dissolved into a shouting match and probably would have ended with violence if the Ostrogot guy hadn't returned to the room. He made to say something… then he seemed to stagger a little and hold his head…. Like seeing the two of us bothered him somehow….

It bothers me that I swear I've seen him before as well… I'm starting to get weird flashbacks… people I don't recognise laughing…a boy I think I know embracing me. Waking up and there's England…but he looks… kind. Other people… I don't recognise speaking.

It's all very jumbled and it makes my head hurt to think about it. But this all feels like… it feels like someone's been lying to me for a long long time.

Oh… it seems everyone's distracted with that Ostrogot guy… I'M OUTTA HERE!

Seeya!

Siromaa


	7. Defection

I was interrupted in my introverted thought as I felt a hand touch each of my arms and I looked up to see a stony-faced North Korea.  
I was surprised.  
Even though her face remained rather placid, the gesture she made as undoubtedly meant to be comforting. She could see that something was wrong and instead of being interrogative, she simply tried to console me.  
"Are you all right Ostrogot? " she asked.  
I turned my neck to either side, making the vertebrae crack satisfactorily.  
"Da, perfectly fine comrade."  
"Are you sure?"  
I looked at her again, and this time she really did display concern. This was a first for sure. We'd always been on good terms due to our similarities, and I knew that she had some kind of deep respect for me, but this as entirely new.  
"Da" I confirmed again.  
"Good." She said "I would have hated to have you declared unfit for service."  
And she was back again.  
"I am fine, da?" I assured her.  
"Right. So what is it that you wanted to say before you went out of the room?"  
I'd momentarily forgotten the big news.  
"Ah, da, I got phone call from Russia. He said that England is looking for little nation called Parva, or Siromaa. She escaped him. Siromaa is telling truth to us after all."  
"What?!"  
North Korea looked disbelieving.  
"Vay I see it, she ran avay from home and vanted to listen in on vorld meeting. If all she said is true, then that means England has kept her isolated all this time."  
North Korea remained silent.  
"In vhich case, ve could convince her to defect to us, and seek refuge from England's control vith us. That could vork, da?"  
She remained silent for a moment longer, pondering.  
"And eventually…." She said, slowly "possibly…yes...that could work…"  
"Vhat are yu thinking comrade?" I asked her.  
She had an air of scheming about her, something that didn't happen all too often and I was most curious as to what she was thinking.  
"We could convert her, brainwash her to accept out ideals, communist ideals. We could make an example of her, and show the rest of the world that we are successful. She will serve as a beacon, a model that other nations will strive for!"  
For a moment I was with her, I wanted to agree, to put her plan into action immediately. Together, the o of us the some assistance from Siromaa, we would spread the glorious message of communism throughout the world once more, and create and empire that was grander than ever before.  
Had I been the Ostrogot of just several days ago, before I even found Siromaa, there would have been no doubt in my mind, and that was the plan we would have carried out. But now, something had changed.  
My belief in my on ideology, which had become so rock-solid over these past few months, was crumbling fast.  
I wasn't sure of who I was myself, and I wasn't sure anymore if the path I'd picked had been the right one after all. There were people I' left behind that day, even though now I couldn't remember them properly anymore.  
I had a family here too now. Big sister Ukraine, big brother Russia, my twin sister, the female version of myself with the same name, and my little sister and wife Belarus. And I had new friends…all the socialist nations of the earth. I'd lost something and gained something more, but was it really worth it? Had I not given up my true self for a role? Or was this who I really was and I'd just never known it.  
The snap of fingers disturbed me from my thoughts.  
"Hey! Stop dreaming! So, what do you think? That sounds like a good plan, right?"  
For the moment I resolve to continue as if nothing had happened.  
"Da, let's continue vith interrogation." I said.

We both went back to the interrogation room, intending to take the first step to making Siromaa effect to us, but when we got there, we found the chair she'd been strapped in empty.  
North Korea immediately pulled out her gun again and covered all corners of the room.  
In the brief second of surprise I had, I noticed that the straps on the arms and legs of the chair were still intact. I must have not fastened the straps enough so she could twist and squirm free of her restraints while we were occupied.  
Clever girl.  
I would not make that mistake again.  
I immediately ran out of the room again and headed for the bunker entrance that lead to my house, North Korea hot on my heels.  
I was much taller than Siromaa, so I should have been able to catch up with her, given that the lead she had wasn't too large of course.  
North Korea was falling behind, as I too had the advantage of longer legs over her, but I couldn't stop and wait for her to catch up.  
A soviet was not supposed to let a prisoner get away, ever.  
She'd seen far too much that she could be left to escape.  
I reached the concrete steps that lead up to my house, and saw a flash of green ahead of me, which I knew had to be Siromaa's uniform. I was too late. Nevertheless, I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. Maybe, just maybe it was possible.  
I suddenly heard a squeal from up ahead which I knew had come from Siromaa and wondered what had happened.  
I reached the top of the stairs and turned a corner to see my twin sister and female counterpart holding Siromaa up in the air, her long blonde braid wrapped around her like an anaconda. Belarus was right next to her, knife out and a look on her face that clearly said she was ready to gut Siromaa like a fish at a moment's notice.  
My twin sister looked at me disapprovingly.  
"You are too careless brother…she almost got avay."  
I smiled cruelly a Siromaa, who was struggling and kicking in mid-air but to no avail.  
"LET ME DOWN DAMMIT! I TOTALLY HATE BEING LIFTED IN THE AIR LIKE THIS!"  
Belarus gave me a demonic look.  
"Can I kill her now big brother? Can I please? Please? I must kill her…kill her…kill her…"  
I waved a dismissive hand at Belarus.  
"I'm afraid not this time sister, ve have change of plans." I directed my attention to my counterpart "Let her down sister."  
Reluctantly, my twin set Siromaa back don on the floor. Siromaa rubbed her airs where the braid had pressed into her skin.  
"I'm spending too much damn time in the air! It's like; I'm not even a bird you know!"  
I ignored her.  
"England is looking for yu." I said simply.  
She panicked immediately, falling to her knees and crawling forward to grab at the front of my winter coat. Belarus hissed with distaste.  
"Pleasepleaseplease don't give me back to him! I don't want to go back! Lock me up in that awful cupboard again, but don't give me back to that English bastard! Please!"  
My face displayed no expression as I looked down at her, pondering the situation. It wasn't too late yet, I could hand Siromaa over to England, end of story. Nothing would have changed and everyone could have gone on with their respective lives for better or worse.  
But something stopped me.  
Would I go along with North Korea's plan and turn her into a communist nation in our image, or free her from the oppression that she must endure under England to be this desperate as to plead to stay with her tormentors.  
Then I could set her free and make her independent, give her the freedom to choose who she would be in this world for herself.  
The plans weren't mutually exclusive…not that this point anyway. And so I reached a decision.  
I bent down and grasped her hand which were still clinging to the front of my coat and lifted her to her feet.  
There was a small outcry from Belarus, subtle confusion on the face of my twin and an approving nod and the tiniest of smiles from North Korea as she realized what I was going to do.  
Siromaa whimpered a bit, but I looked into her eyes, and she stared directly back at me, her irises shining like emeralds.  
"Yu von't have to go back to England. Yu are now here, vith us, and under our protection. There no need to fear England anymore…England vill fear us."  
Her eyes teared up slightly.  
"R-really? Y-you mean it? You'll protect me?"  
I nodded, smiling at her reassuringly.  
"Da."  
She hugged me, taking me completely by surprise.  
Belarus made a gesture as if she was going to storm forward and attack Siromaa with her knife, but my counterpart stopped her by simply touching her arm. Belarus still fumed, but she stayed where she stood.  
North Korea put her gun away again. She looked happier than before, though it was hard to tell because she didn't show it much, but she looked like she was much more at ease now that things were going in a direction she understood and approved of. Her plan was good, and ultimately I thought that I was going to follow it, to what extent remained to be seen.  
I went over to stand next to Belarus, and took her under one arm, hugging her affectionately. The frown didn't disappear from her face, but it rarely did.  
She put both arms around my waist and squeezed, a little harder than was necessary, but to me it showed that she was glad to have e back with her and that she'd forgiven me for being hugged by Siromaa and not letting her kill the little nation.  
I seriously doubted that she'd forgiven Siromaa for the same thing.  
Siromaa on the other hand was wiping tears from her cheeks, tears of happiness I assumed.  
What she must have endured under England to be happy to be around this particular group of countries, all of them devoted to communism.  
Either that or she was dreadfully naïve. Either way, I knew how to take advantage of the fact, and further develop North Korea's plan.  
"Come." I said, motioning for all of us to leave the stairway and go back into the warm comfort of my house.  
"Ve have things to discuss."


	8. Marxism for Dummies

We all went to sit in the living room once again, me taking a seat in my favorite armchair, Belarus sitting on my lap.  
She was not going to let me go so quickly again, that was for sure now.  
Siromaa sat in the sofa opposite to my chair, looking at me as if she was seeing some kind of wondrous vision.  
The rest of them took place as well, and silence fell.  
Belarus, starved for my affection, placed her hands around my chest and proceeded to hug me tightly, almost squeezing the air out of my lungs.  
I kissed her forehead softly, and her grip loosened, allowing me to breather again.  
I started talking.  
"Ve von't make yu go back to England, but if yu are under our protection, then there are several things that ve need to know about yu first. Ve don't vant to stick out neck for just anyone here, da? So, tell us about yourself. How are yu under control of England? Vhy did yu do vhat you did? That stuff, da?"  
She nodded, took a deep breath and began to tell her tale.  
Apparently she'd been an autonomous island for a very long time until England had invaded her, and made her a satellite of his own. He'd kept her under control by the use of a puppet ruler, and isolated her from the rest of the world effectively. She was antiquated, that much was clear.

Her favorite weapons were the bow and arrow after all, and even though she did use a modern hunting bow, it was still a sign of regression, especially when I thought it my own weapon of choice, the infamous Kalashnikov.  
What got me really interested was when she said that she had large reserves of silver and emeralds on her island, which was a sort of geological anomaly. She proceeded to explain in great detail how this had come to be, but none of us were listening anymore.  
Silver and emeralds.  
Soviets had always been about exploiting the resources of the land they owned, no matter if oil, uranium, coal…and even people.  
And Siromaa it seemed was rich in natural treasures, which could bring a cozy little profit.  
This would certainly help other warm up to the plan of putting Siromaa under our protection. They were still unaware of our plan, but in time they would guess what we were trying to do. I hoped that Siromaa on the other hand would not, but as long as I concealed my true intentions under my pretense of caring about her and winning her independence from England, she wouldn't care.  
"So yeah, that's like, it…" Siromaa concluded.  
I pretended to be thoughtful, even though the matter was already settled for me.  
"Da, very good…" I said.  
"How will you help me?" she asked.  
"I think that yu should let me vorry about that, da?"  
She nodded.  
"Yes, I understand, of course. Thank you."  
She looked at me, and this time I could see it, I could see what Belarus had meant when she said that Siromaa had looked at me weird, and it surprised me greatly.  
It was the same look that Belarus had given me once upon a time, before we were married, and that she continued to give me on occasion.  
Her look displayed deep affection.  
This was going to be complicated indeed…  
"I think that first thing ve should do is take look at island of yours…your home, I vould be most interest to see vhat it like, da?"  
"My home? Oh, it's a wonderful place…it's full of lush green plains, deep mysterious forests and long sandy beaches. It has beautiful cities and pristine nature…"  
All of which would be destroyed once we got hold of it, that was for sure. If we were to make Siromaa a step towards the Socialization of the world, then she would need to undergo radical transformation. Radical, but subtle, creeping, so she herself wouldn't notice, so that she would think things were not only changing, but also changing for the better. That was the road to success.  
"I think you'd like it." She concluded.  
"Da, I think I vill. I concluded."  
"Big brother, you vill take me vith you, von't you?" Belarus asked, taking my arm in a vice-like grip.  
I looked down at her, and saw the desperation in her eyes.  
"Da lyubit, of course you vill come vith me. Ve could both use a little trip out of this tundra desert of cold."  
"And me?" North Korea asked, as if meaning 'It's my plan too, I should come'.  
Well why not?  
"Da, yu can come too. If she supposed to be under our joint protection, yu might as vell, da. Sister-" I addressed my counterpart "I vould like yu to stay here and look after house. If Russia comes, tell him that ve are avay and leave it at that. If England calls and asks about her," I gestured at Siromaa "say that yu not seen her. Can yu do that?"  
"Da brother."  
"Vell, I think ve are done. Let's go comrades."

Siromaa's island was indeed nice, much nicer than my own home. There was light snow, nothing like the tons and tons than in Siberia and it wasn't even that cold. The town we were in was apparently her capital city, and I could see exactly who had influenced her greatly. The houses didn't resemble anything Nordic like you would expect, but most of them were built in the British colonial style. It looked nice enough. My own capital was not nearly as pretty. Not that you'd want to be outside to go look at it anyway, since it was usually very cold.  
On the way here, we'd been giving her lessons on how she needed to change if she wanted to become an independent nation.  
"If yu vant to become independent nation, yu need strength." I explained to her "Yu have strength through military. But no military vithout industry, and no military vithout agriculture."  
Siromaa was thinking hard.  
"So…a strong country is built on the working class? Is that right?"  
I smiled approvingly.  
"Da, successful nation is built on backs of vorking class. If yu give power to vorking class, they vill lead yu to success."  
"I see…and self-sufficiency is an important part of that?"  
North Korea intervened.  
"Indeed! If you can't feed yourself, you'll fail. You don't want to leech off other nations and get caught up in their capitalist ways."  
Belarus was at my side, holding my arm tightly in a determined way.  
"If not anything else, then ve still have food."  
"I guess so..." Siromaa made a grimace "I can't cook to save my life…England taught me nothing…"  
"Ve'll teach yu how to cook properly, da?" I said.  
"Really?" she looked up at me "That's so kind of you! What can you teach me?"  
"Oh, just some of the things I know. Piroshky, Pelmeni, Borsht, Shashlik, Blini, Kissel…"  
"Sounds very foreign to me…I haven't spoken to other nations for a while…once I'm independent, maybe I should just ask Finland or Poland or-"  
"NO!" North Korea interrupted "NO CONTACT WITH CAPITALIST PIGS!"  
"But…but…but they were so nice…at least when I knew them in the past…"  
"There one thing you need understand Siromaa" I told her in a very sympathetic way "Yu don't know any better, they may been very nice vhen yu knew them hundreds of years ago, but they changed. They have long been corrupted by capitalism vithout even noticing that it happened."  
"Yes, exactly!" North Korea confirmed, "Capitalism is like a disease! It spreads through contact, and the only way to avoid getting it is to avoid contact with those whom already been infested. And any trace of it, anyone who dares mention it, any trace of it must be squashed, stamped out. The seeds of capitalism must be destroyed before they take root and spread. That is the only option!"  
I could see that Siromaa was very intimidated by North Korea's anti-capitalist rant, but it had the desired effect. Siromaa took on a determined, if slightly sad expression.  
"Okay…I guess you know best, you've had years of experience…I'm…I'm just…I don't know…"  
"It's fine, yu vill learn." I reassured her.  
She was soaking it up, everything we told her. She was ready to believe that everything she'd known until now was completely wrong. I could only thank England for that. He treated her badly, so she associated everything he'd brought to her with pain and suffering. It made our indoctrination infinitely easier.  
At that moment we came to a nice little cobbled square, and Siromaa stopped, looking ahead.  
"Vhat?" I asked her, coming to a halt beside her.  
She pointed ahead to a large and very opulent building surrounded by a high iron fence and some grounds.  
"The palace."  
I smiled.  
"Ah…"  
North Korea took the opportunity.  
"Your leader is a tyrant. She is the tool through which England controls you. She must be removed if you want to be free."  
Siromaa looked at North Korea.  
"I wish I could have a leader like you, he sounds so wonderful and caring."  
As always when her boss was mentioned, North Korea's eyes glazed over as if something very emotional had just touched her heart.  
"My Glorious Leader…I am glad that he chose to be born in my country…I am so fortunate. I wish that everyone could have such a leader as him, and one day, maybe you will Siromaa, you will."  
"I feel envious of you" Siromaa said.  
North Korea smiled at that small nation.  
"We'll find someone for you."  
"I hope so."  
"Are you all right big brother?" Belarus asked me suddenly.  
"Da lyubit, I am."  
In truth, I still wasn't sure about myself, about what I wanted to happen now. But that wasn't the only thing troubling me, not by far.  
For all of Siromaa's explanations, the more she told about herself, the more suspicious it seemed to me. There was something fundamentally suspicious here, but I just couldn't get my finger on it. Then there was her and North Korea's resemblance to people I had known in another life, but I'd forgotten. I tried to recall their names, but nothing would come to me. Just nothing.  
There was no way I could just simply forget something like that, not after this amount of time, there was something else in play here. Was it the fact that I'd so readily assumed my new identity out of…out of what? Was it greed, lust for power? Was it the opportunity to escape and start a new life? The answer was possibly all of them.  
Then I was hit with another question that until now had not concerned me.  
Russia.  
He'd done so much for me. He'd adopted me to be his younger brother, readily embraced me into his family. He'd arranged for me to be married to his sister, although that was more out of personal interest. Then he'd given me a large swathe of his own land for me to run. He'd stood by my side as we prepared to fight the free world in an epic battle, and smiled when I single-handedly made peace as if he'd known all along that I was going to do what I did. Why? Why did he do all that?  
Russia…he was complex, he was the extreme opposite of transparency. The only thing to tell about him was that he was unpredictable.  
So why?  
I resolved to speak to him about it the next time I saw him.  
"Where did Siromaa go?"  
North Korea's voice wrenched me out of my thoughts.  
Her eyebrows were narrowed as she put a hand inside her uniform to pull out the handgun she carried with her.  
I put my hand on her arm. Belarus hissed angrily and I took my arm back immediately.  
"Don't pull that thing, not here."  
North Korea reluctantly took her and away from her gun again, her eyes scanning the square around us.  
"Did anyone see her go?!" I said, twisting my head this way and that, trying to find her. She wasn't there "Lyubit, any idea?"  
"Niama brother…" Belarus said "But vhy are yu so concerned about her big brother?"  
Her voice took on a menacing tone, but I was too preoccupied to notice.  
"Der'mo…" I cursed "Find her! Split up and swarm out!"  
North Korea nodded and then hurried off in one direction.  
I squirmed my way out of Belarus' grip. Her eyes twitched and her aura started to rise.  
"Lyubit, ve vill have to split up as vell and go search for her. You go in one direction and I vill go in other, da?"  
"Big brother…" Belarus said menacingly, her aura having risen considerably now "vhat is vrong vit you? Vhy are you so concerned about little nation? Do you care about her more than me? Do you love her more than me? Answer me big brother…answer meeeeeee!"  
I ran away from her as fast as possible. I was going to cover the matter of her jealousy later, but right now I needed to concentrate on the task at hand, which as finding Siromaa. For some reason I didn't think that she'd left of her own accord, that didn't fit into the picture.  
And she might be the only link to a past that I'd almost forgotten, a past that I wanted to remember.  
I wasn't going to let my past go that easily, not again.  
I walked briskly along the streets of the town, turning left and right at random, hoping that I was going in the right direction.  
I'd almost given up hope, when I saw something glittering on the streets. I went to pick it up and saw that it was Siromaa's emerald encrusted silver circlet.  
She was close.  
And obviously she wouldn't lose such a thing voluntarily.  
Clutching the circlet in my hand, I looked around to examine the various ways I could go.  
Everything looked so new and confusing, I had no idea where anything was in this town, and I might have gone off in the wrong direction if it hadn't been for the sounds of a scuffle down a side street.  
I headed off in that direction, and sure enough I saw Siromaa struggling against a person much taller than her.  
As far as I could see the person was male, although he was dressed in a black cloak, and he was trying to stop Siromaa from escaping, clamping her arms own so she wouldn't move. She was putting up a good fight though.  
"Ostanovit't!" I commanded.  
Siromaa looked up, and hope shone in her eyes.  
"You found me…" she whispered.  
Unfortunately, my arrival had temporarily distracted her and allowed her kidnapper to gain the upper hand.  
"Got you now." He said in a voice that was all too familiar.  
He turned to face me, his hood sliding down to reveal his face as he did so.  
"Oh…it's you; bloody commie…one step closer and I'll make you regret it."  
It was England.


	9. Back to the Soviet

Crap. This was going to make things a lot more complicated.  
I stretched out my hand in a demanding gesture.  
"You vill give her back, da?"  
"No way! She's mine!" England retorted, although he already looked less confident than before. He evidently had not expected me to turn up. H must have remembered the last time we got into a fight, and he'd lost then, badly, even though he had numbers on his side.  
"She is under protection of Ostrogonian Soviet Socialist Republic. If you not hand her over now, then that vill be provocation. Yu do not vant to provoke me, da?"  
I felt my aura rise around me, leaking out of the fabric of the clothing that had been given to me by Russia, filling the air.  
My scarf flapped in the air as if it were water, like the tentacle of a squid.  
England took a step backwards, Siromaa still struggling to free herself. She had no hope really, countries had physical strength according to a variety of factors, but Siromaa trumped England in none.  
"Now look here Ostrogot" he said nervously "she's been mine for ages and ages, and it's unwise to try and change the map of the world these days, all of us, we'd have to get new atlases" He gave a nervous laugh "Besides, what's she to you?"  
What was she to me? She was important, and that was enough of a reason.  
"Britain…I am losing patience here. Hand her back or I vill take action against yu!"  
I took a step towards him.  
That was enough for England. He turned and ran, head over heels.  
He was quick too.  
I ran after him as fast as I could, my aura had vanished as soon as I set to chase. I could do many things thanks to the clothes that Russia gave me, but running fast was not one of them unfortunately. They were meant to be warm in the unforgiving climate of Siberia. They were not intended for a marathon.  
In time, sweat was pouring down my brow and I could feel my breath become rasping and dry.  
England on the other hand was still fine, running as fleet as a gazelle even he was carrying Siromaa with him.  
He would have even made Italy proud.  
I knew that he was getting away, but there was nothing I could do to stop him from doing so. I had one last card left to play though.  
I stopped running, and England, looking back over his shoulder, stopped too. He was also breathing heavily, but he had a satisfied grin on his face.  
"So, does this mean I win?"  
I took several deep gulps of air, straightened myself and composed my expression to be utterly complacent.  
"No. Yu have committed provocation, an act of var by kidnapping Siromaa, a state officially under my protection."  
"She's mine, been mine, and will stay mine, you won't change that Ostrogot."  
"I vill bring case in front of UN. Then yu are in trouble, da?"  
Great, threatening him with procedures in front of the UN. I'm a real hardliner Soviet, am I not?  
"It would be better if you kept out of this, it's something that you don't understand, it's beyond your reach! I'm taking her back with me and you will not be the one to stop me!"  
"No"  
There was the cranking noise of a gun being loaded.  
"But I will."  
While we were talking, North Korea had snuck up behind England and had aimed her pistol at him.  
I could see that England knew he was trapped.  
"Now, let Siromaa go, and maybe ve vill let yu valk avay, da?"  
England careful put Siromaa down on her feet.  
"Good…now, slowly back av-" I never got to finish my sentence.  
In one swift more, England spun around and knocked the handgun out of North Korea's hands, grabbed Siromaa by the neck before she could react and scampered off away.  
North Korea picked up her gun from the ground and fired at the fleeing figure. Undaunted, England kept on running, already far out of range.  
I went over to North Korea and put a hand on her gun, making her lower it.  
"It is no use, he is gone."  
"There goes our ticket to world socialism" she said, breathing angrily.  
"She not gone completely. I vill bring case on front of UN. Ve have to play their game."  
"You? In front of the UN?" North Korea shook her head in disbelief "you overestimate your chances, they'd never even let you in, and besides, you've violated just as many UN agreements as I have, you don't have a voice there."  
"I have several allies. It vill vork."  
I really hoped that it would work, I really did. There was still a mystery I had to solve so to speak. What England had said had given me even more of a reason to believe that something was not quite right about Siromaa, and I still wasn't sure what it was.  
I would get her back somehow.  
Then there were the questions that I posed about myself, questioning my identity.  
For both of those cases there was one person in the whole would who could help me.

I knocked on the front door of Russia's house, and soon heard the padding of feet drawing closer that means somebody was coming to open up.  
The door opened just a sliver, and I could see a tiny portion of Lithuania's face. His eyes grew large in shock, and he immediately threw the door open and allowed me to step inside.  
I had no idea who he was more afraid of these days, Russia or me. He took turns in visiting our houses to tidy up.  
"H-hello Mr. Ostrogot, how are you t-today?" he said, barely controlling his stutter.  
"Privjet Litva. I am very vell spasibo. Is Russia home?"  
Lithuania nodded vigorously.  
"Yes yes, he is, would you like to see him?"  
"That is vhat I came here for after all, so da, I do."  
"Ah, yes, sorry Mr. Ostrogot."  
He led me into the familiar living room, and I seated myself on the sofa. Russia had an armchair like mine, next to a roaring fire, but he loved it, and it was very unwise to try and sit in Russia's chair, ever. Even for me.  
"I shall go get him. Help yourself to some Vodka."  
"Don't mind if I do." I said as Lithuania left the room.  
I poured myself a generous measure and tipped it all down my throat in one. Drinking like a true Russian, at least that part of me had become genuine.  
Moments later Russia appeared and I rose to shake hands with him.  
"Brother" he greeted me.  
"Comrade" I said.  
He took his place in the armchair opposite me, and for a while we just sat, Russia gazing into the blazing embers.  
"So," he finally said "You vanted to talk to me, da?"  
"Da, but I vant to make sure that ve have privacy."  
Russia smiled his usual childish grin.  
"Mm…da…"  
He eyed the doorway and I could feel some kind of radiance from him. Seconds later there was a commotion and the sound of three pairs of feet running away.  
The thee Baltics had been listening in.  
"Now you can talk" Russia said, still smiling.  
"Da" I said and took a deep breath "Yu remember day that yu adopted me, da?"  
Russia nodded.  
"Vell…" I said, then dropped my Russian accent "You always knew, didn't you? Who I was?"  
Russia didn't react at all to my change of voice, which was already an answer enough to me. However, I did notice a very subtle change in his expression, one which I could not quite interpret.  
"Da…I did. I knew there vas no 'Ostrogot', although It vas a good plan, no one else vould have known. You vere very clever."  
"So…why did you even bother to help me? You could have just said the truth, and I would have somehow been assimilated in a more fitting manner, not as a nation."  
"Da…I could have."  
"But you didn't."  
He shook his head ever so slightly.  
"No."  
"And you did more even! You took me into your family; you gave me lands of my own, substantial ones too! And you gave me your sister's hand in marriage, although, admittedly, you were doing yourself more of a favor there than you did me, am I not right?" I smiled.  
He chuckled "Da brother…da, that it vas."  
"Anyway, why did you do all that to help me?"  
"Eh…" Russia thought for a moment, then smile at me as he came to a conclusion "I don't know…"  
I couldn't believe this guy…  
"There must have been some reason…"  
"Vell…I never liked those lands I gave you anyvay…too cold…I hated them. I only had them because no one else vanted them. And my sister…vell, you said it, you helped me there more than I did you."  
He paused.  
"I vas hoping to see you suffer under her…but that did not happen…" he shrugged "I'm glad that you two are getting on so vell together…I love my sister still…but just not…in that vay…"  
Russia really was a strange character. He had just handed over lands to me, lands which contained vast amounts of resources. He'd married his sister to me, one to whom he was so attached. He'd helped me become a nation in every way imaginable…and all that just because basically, he could? He really was a nutcase.  
But, I realized, a nutcase I looked up to, not as a mere idol, someone to aspire to, but also…as an older brother.  
I'd left all my family behind in the blink of an eye, and I'd fitted into this new and crazy one just fine, probably because I was just as crazy as they were, just the fact that I impersonated a Soviet nation showed that.  
For the first time again since that moment inside the interrogation room of my house, I felt sure of who and what I was.  
I had a wonderful family. My oldest sister Ukraine, a crybaby whom I could only feel empathy for, my big brother Russia, my mentor, the one I looked up to as a nation, my twin sister and female counterpart…oh yes, she was the perfect mirror image of who I truly was. And then my beautiful younger sister and wife Belarus.  
I was Ostrogot, openly communist, reclusive, but on occasion quite a badass and with a talent for intimidation and a reputation to match.  
I was a nation.  
"So…" I said, taking up my inner Russian once again "Vould yu help me help someone just like yu helped me?"  
"Hm…who?"  
"England called yu about Parva, da? Vell, I met Parva, and I'm certain that ve have something in common, if yu know vhat I mean…"  
Russia nodded slowly "Da, I do…"  
"Vould yu help us?" I asked.  
I really hoped he would say yes, otherwise I was going to run into trouble getting her back.  
Russia contemplated for a moment, then smiled again, eyes closed.  
"Da, I vill, vhat's the plan?"


	10. Siromaa's Diary Entry 4

Dear Diary,

Oh great… Oh great…Oh great…. Just when I thought I had a lifeline, a ticket to independence! It's gone. All gone with the reappearance of someone I didn't want to see.

England has got me again. And I'm back at his house again and locked in my room. I should explain; England lives in a large house in the center of London and it has enough rooms that there are plenty of bedrooms for all his colonies. A lot of them aren't in use now of course since many of them have been lucky enough to get away from him but my room is still here. Way back when I used to share a room with India, the room still faintly smells of curry.

There's like nothing to do at all in this room now since I haven't used it myself in a good century or so… I've been living on my island. But I'm too scared to get too comfy in case England comes back.

I have to get out somehow… windows are locked but maybe I could break them somehow? I'll think of something. England seemed really worried when he took me back here, like he'd seen a ghost or something. I guess that Mr. Ostrogot scared him a little.

Mr. Ostrogot is so nice I've realized. I tried to escape him at first but now I know that that was a bit of a stupid idea. He says that he can help me get independence! With the help of this thing called communism… must be some kind of weapon I guess, probably a lot better weapon than just my bow and arrows.

I've also realized that Miss North Korea's not too bad either. Mr. Ostrogot explained to me that she's always hungry so I should share my food with her and not worry if she gets snatchy. Still… she was a little rude.

The only one I don't like? The pretty blonde lady in the blue dress. She keeps threatening to kill me! Mr. Ostrogot seems quite fond of her though…

Right… I'm going to try picking the lock on the window. If I can get out onto the roofs I can get away and find a train out of here. Perhaps if I can get back to the mainland of Europe I'll find Mr. Ostrogot again…

…

I did it! I'm out! I'm on the roof of the house! It's so high up! I didn't account for the fact I don't like heights! But I'll be strong… I've got to get away!

Yours

Siromaa


	11. Caught Pants Down

Getting Siromaa back was going to be no easy task, I knew that from the very start, but I had to try. Going tot he UN was certainly one case. If you wanted to become an independent nation, you had to appeal to other independent nations.  
And it was good then if you had allies there.  
I wasn't in the UN. Of course not, America saw to it that would never happen. Even though literally everyone belonged tot he Un. Everyone, even communist nations, and indeed, the Soviet Union had been one oft he founding members.  
But of course, if anything was not to America's liking, he didn't accept it.  
So I had to rely on Russia to help me on this issue. He had a powerful voice in this seating of nations.  
But that would have to wait until later. First I needed to get Siromaa back…in the unofficial way.

I knew England's house well enough, seeing as I'd been trapped in it once before, and it was a spacious place. He could have her anywhere at all.  
Peering out form behind a couple of bushes I could see little movement through the large windows.  
"Do you have a plan?" North Korea whispered in my ear, grasping her assault rifle tightly.  
"Da" I said, turning to her and my twin sister, whom I brought along for support.  
"Vhat is plan, brother?" the latter asked me.  
In reply I merely vaulted over the fence separating us from England's property and strode right up to the front door to ring the doorbell.  
Unsurprisingly, no one answered.  
"Okay, I vil count to three, and vhen I reach three, I vill break down door!"  
No response.  
"One…two…" I kicked the door as hard as I could and the wood splintered under my boot heel.  
We rushed in, all at once; sweeping the hall that faced us with our gun barrels. There was no one there.  
"Split up, clear the rooms." I muttered, not taking my eyes from the gun sights.  
The three of us split up, North Korea went to the right, my twin to the left, and I went straight on.  
"Living room cleared" North Korea shouted.  
"Salon cleared!" I heard my counterpart.  
I carried on down the hall, towards the stairs.  
I crept upstairs, making sure to be quiet, the thick carpet muffling my footfalls from my heavy army boots.  
Maybe England wasn't here after all.  
That's when I picked up a faint noise that I couldn't quite identify.  
Was it conversation? A radio?  
My two companions came up the stairs behind me.  
"Ground floor cleared." North Korea whispered to me.  
I put a finger to my lips to motion her to be quiet. She nodded and listened as well. I moved forward, sweeping the space in front of me with the barrel of my Kalash, all the while listening intently.  
It was coming from somewhere further down the hall.  
Crouching slightly, I went as quietly as I could, doors on either side to me. We ignored them all, heading only towards the noise. I knew we should check them first, as per standard military procedure, but that was not really necessary here.  
If I had learned something from all my time here, it was that this was not a serious world. Us carrying guns around was borderline already, but breaking into someone's house in a rescue operation was going way over the top.  
But that was just my character. I, Ostrogot, was just that kind of nation.  
The noise was loudest from a door on my left. I stopped and listened carefully. It wasn't a voice. It was rushing water. So this must be a bathroom of sorts.  
I nodded to my sister and North Korea, and they stood either side of the door, guns at the ready.  
The rush of water stopped.  
I took point, positioning myself right in front of the door, preparing to break it down and storm in.  
the door was suddenly opened form the inside, and out came England, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.  
For a split second he didn't even notice us, and then he looked up at me.  
"Blood hell!" he shouted in alarm and dropped the towel he was gripping.  
"Privyet, England." I said, smiling and shoving the barrel of the gun in his face.  
"W-what? O-ostrogot? What…? Why…?"  
"Yu took something from me, something that is rightfully mine, da?"  
"I…I…"  
"Oh, and your vital regions are exposed. Is this invitation to invade?" I said with a smirk.  
"Ah!" he exclaimed and tried to cover himself up with his hands.  
"Pitiful" my counterpart said, averting her eyes.  
Korea on the other hand was looking at England with greed in her eyes.  
"Korea, snap out of it!"  
"What?" she said, shaking her head.  
"No invading. That Vas supposed to be a joke, da?"  
"A-ah…right…" she said, but still didn't take her eyes off him.  
England scrabbled on the floor to pick up his towel again.  
"Hey" I said, poking him with my rifle "hands up"  
He straightened up, but lost the grip on his towel and it fell again.  
"You've had your fun! Now tell me what you want!" he shouted, his face growing more and more red by the second.  
"I told yu. I vant back vhat you took from me. Siromaa."  
England gritted his teeth.  
"I know your plans. You want to turn her into a communist nation, don't you? A puppet of yours! She's much better off here. She may no understand it now, but once I teach her a little history, she'll be grateful."  
"Da, that vould be so. But there only one problem vith that."  
"Which is?!"  
I cranked back the bolt of my rifle.  
"I'm the one vith gun, da?"  
"Ah…I see…"  
I could see England perspiring, thinking it over.  
"Fine" he concluded, "I'll show you. But would you kindly allow me to get something on before I do?"  
"Njet. Show us now. The way you are. I think North Korea likes to see you like that…"  
"H-hey! T-that's not true…at all!" she protested.  
"If yu think he impressive North Korea" I said "Then yu are either easily impressed, or, as I think, yu have seen nothing yet."  
Now it was north Korea's turn to blush.  
"Lead the vay" I told England, prodding him in the back with my rifle.  
Grumbling, he walked off along the hall, holding the towel to his waist with one hand.  
"There'll be consequences for this, I hope you are aware of that" he muttered.  
"Name one nation on earth who vould dare stop me."  
"Ameri-"  
"America is moron, da?"  
"I…ah…point taken." England slumped his head.  
He stopped in front of the many doors  
"Here it is." He said, gesturing.  
I waited for a moment.  
"Vell, unlock it!"  
England turned the lock and opened the door.  
The room was rather plain, but it was clear to see that it belonged to a female nation. However there was one important detail.  
Siromaa was nowhere to be seen.  
England realized this in an instant, and ran in, almost losing his towel again, and looked frantically around the room, opening a closet and slamming it shut again.  
"She's gone!"  
The rest of us were still standing outside of the room. England was stating the blindingly obvious.  
"Da, I can see that"  
"But…he door was locked!"  
England was a moron. The room had one window, and even though it was closed I could see that it had been merely pulled shut from the outside. Siromaa had evidently left over the roof.  
Clever indeed.  
"Right…" I said as if coming to a conclusion "She not here, then ve have no business here. Let's go" I said to my two companions and they walked off back towards the staircase.  
"Ostrogot! I wasn't lying! She was just here!" England pleaded.  
"Da, I know. But I know where she vent. I vill find her."  
I put my hand on the door and pulled it shut. England, who was still insdie the room, noticed too late.  
"No no no no! Wait a second!"  
The lock fell into place and I could hear England slam against the door.  
"Have fun comrade, now yu see how it is to be prisoner. Be glad I did not take yu to gulag."  
"Ostrogot! Listen to me!" England yelled through the door, slamming his fists against the wood "There is something yu don't understand about Siromaa! She's different!"  
I was about to leave, but this held me back. Was this really it? Had I been right.  
"Vhat…do you mean, comrade?" I asked tentatively.  
"She's not from here, not like you and me Ostrgot."  
"from here?"  
"It happened when I was trying out the same spell that I cast the day I summoned you from your home. She appeared, but she had no idea who she was. I took her in and gave her a new identity. She thinks she's Siromaa, but that's not true, Siromaa never existed. She's not a nation Ostrogot!"  
So I had been correct after all. Siromaa was someone I remembered from my past life. And North Korea – I suddenly realized – North Korea was too! I just remembered that north Korea was supposed to be male, not female!  
"I see…so…vhat? Vhat do I care?"  
"Just…don't tell her, I beg you, don't tell her who she really is. It's best if you leave things as they are. I'll hand her over to you without protest, but don't tell her who she really is. I fear that would be the end of her."  
"Hmm…da, ve have deal."  
"Thank you Ostrogot"  
"But I vill still have to punish yu for taking her from in first place, da?" I said with a smile on my lips.  
"W-what?" there was a note of panic in England's voice "B-but…you can't…"  
"Do svidaniya." I said, turned and walked away.


	12. The Road to Freedom

Siromaa.  
She knew after her kidnapping that her home island in the Baltic Sea wasn't safe anymore. You can't feel safe in a place that you were abducted from, even if that place is your home. She definitely was not at England's house anymore, even though that was where I would have hidden. Reverse psychology.  
And I did not expect her to be at the United Nation building. That was far too unlikely. So there was only one feasible place left. The only place where she knew that no one would dare touch her, a place that most of the world has forsaken in fear.  
My house.  
But as I approached the house, having left Korea and my counterpart to go to the UN, the door was opened. I stopped dead in my tracks.  
The inside of the house was dark and I could feel a rising feeling of dread in me, which could only mean one thing.  
And sure enough, with a wail like an angry harpy, Belarus charged out the door towards me. I just stood there, transfixed. She had caught me completely off guard. With a nimbleness only possible of a person with her frame she jumped into the air and flung herself at me, hitting me in the chest and knocking me backwards onto the ground. I was thankful that thick snow covered the path, or I dare say it would have hurt. As it was there was a soft thump, and I lay there, Belarus sitting on top of my chest.  
"Yu came back big brother!"  
She said, full of relief, and then kissed me passionately, not hesitating for one bit and sticking her tongue in my mouth.  
I responded in equal measure, and felt several drops of warm water hit my cheeks that told me she was crying.  
Not at all the reaction I'd expected from her.  
"Of course I came back Belarus, sister. I love yu." I said, and kissed here again.  
Then I heard a clicking noise, and felt something close around my wrist. I turned my head to look at my arm, stretched out in the snow. Belarus had handcuffed me, the other cuff around her own wrist.  
"Oh?" I said, smirking "Vhat is this?"  
"To make sure that yu never run avay from again brother. Never."  
"I won't lyubit, I promise."  
"Da…but just to make sure. I vill not let you part from my side again. I vas crying for yu brother Ostrogot"  
Oh, that was just like here again. Seriously, I could not even go out to buy groceries without her glomping me the moment I stepped back through the door.  
"Funny…" I said "Yu've never used them before…"  
"That is because before they vere never necessary to keep you close to me" she said in all seriousness "Now I'm not so sure anymore."  
"Mmm…I can definitely see this becoming our thing, da?" I said, suggestively.  
She kissed me again. I took that to mean yes.  
We both got to our feet again, which proved to be somewhat difficult with the handcuffs on and all. It was a temporary measure. Belarus was possessive by nature, and the best I could do was just play along. Besides, this might bring some welcome refreshment into our daily activities. If there was one person you didn't want to be chained to for a whole day then it was Belarus. That applied for most people, but for me it was a different case altogether. It was a minor inconvenience at worst, and a highly pleasurable experience at best. I intended to make the best of it.  
"Lyubit, there is one question I have to ask yu" I say carefully. I had to watch my wording now, I didn't want to upset her again after we'd resolved everything so nicely.  
"Vhat is it big brother?" she asked, cuddling against me as we walked toward the front door of the house.  
"Yu did not see anyone come close to the house today, did yu?"  
Her face was expressionless.  
"No, big brother, I saw no one. Vhy do you ask?"  
Hm. So Siromaa wasn't here after all. Disappointing. I thought I had it.  
"Never mind, it is not important. Have yu been shoveling snow vhile I vas avay?"  
"No…no point vith all the snow ve have here. Yu alvays do that for me big brother, I love to vatch yu doing it, shoveling the snow vith those strong arms of yours…"  
I chuckled.  
"I can do a lot vith these strong arms of mine…" I said, but stopped when I noticed a pile of snow next to the front door.  
"But if yu have not been shoveling snow…then vhere did this come from?"  
I carefully extended the tip of my boot towards the pile of snow. Maybe…  
I nudged it, and heard a muffled yelp. The pile of snow moved slightly, and I began digging with my hands. Hiding under the snow was none other than Siromaa.  
She looked up at me, her face pale white, teeth chattering as she spoke.  
"Your country is cold…"

I pressed small glass of clear liquid into Siromaa's shaking hands.  
"Here, take it." I said.  
"W-w-what i-is i-it..?" she said, shaking with cold.  
"Just drink it, it vill make yu feel better, da?"  
She nippe at the glass and spluttered.  
"It burns!"  
"Vodka" I said, smiling "I thought you already knew vhat it tasted like."  
She shook her head, though it was hard to tell from all her shaking.  
"N-no…n-never…n-neat…"  
"Yu need to become used to drinking Vodka, comrade Siromaa, it is essential for a communist nation to have some sort of thing. Cuba has cigars, I have Vodka, da?"  
"Y-you are joking right?"  
"Da, of course."  
Siromaa had, as I predicted, run to my house as fast as she could, hoping me to be there. She didn't want to knock in case it brought about the wrong company, as it would since only Belarus had been at hoe at the time. So she had decided to wait until someone came out. Only no one did. And then it snowed. It's a miracle that she survived that, but it had taken a roaring fire and several thick woolen blankets to bring a rosy hue back to her cheeks. But she looked reasonable well now, much better than before.  
"No thank you, I think I'll pass." She said, handing the glass back to me. I laughed.  
"Da, as yu vish."  
I've already decided to do as England suggested, and not tell her who she really was, Tthough this was not because England asked me to. I looked at it from my own perspective. She was already an established nation, and now she had powerful friends, like me. Why would I burden her with knowledge that's of absolutely no use to her anyway? This way she has a clear conscience. Also I've long decided for myself that I'd left that world behind me, and that I was not going to go back to it, in any way, be tha physical or mental. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. This was a different place, and there was no way that I was going to let anything ruin the life I'd made for myself here.  
"What's that for?" Siromaa asked, pointing at the handcuffs.  
I raised the cuffed arm, making Belarus' arm rise with it. She was sour-faced as ever, jealous of how much care I was showing for Siromaa. If it had been her decision to make, I'm sure that she would have rather left Siromaa out in the cold to freeze.  
"A necessary measure." I said vaguely.  
"For what?"  
"You ask too many questions…" Belarus said threateningly "Do you know vhat ve do vith people that ask too many questions…?"  
Siromaa cringed slightly.  
"Marital troubles" I responded neutrally.  
Siromaa was immediately quiet. I think she gathered that it was at least partially due to her that we had the issue in the first place, but obviously she was blowing this was out of proportion.  
"Anyvay, I continued, ignoring the fact that Belarus and Siromaa were shooting each other the dirtiest of looks "I have managed to fulfill vhat I promised yu."  
Siromaa looked puzzled for a moment.  
"You…you have…?"  
"Da…" I said, smiling "England handed yu over to me…"  
"He has?" Siromaa said, smiling in delight.  
"Da. Yu are no longer his colony. Yu are free, independent nation."  
Suddenly Siromaa hugged me around my midriff, which, as she was a lot smaller than me, was the uppermost part of me that she could reach. Belarus made to claw at her, but I managed to find her off and also push Siromaa away lightly.  
"I'm sorry, but no hugging" I said, indicating the handcuffs.  
"Oh…okay" Siromaa let go "Sorry" then she lightened up again "So I'm free now! Like you promised me I would! Does that mean you'll teach me the wonders of communism? You will right? You'll teach me how to become a proper and independent nation?"  
After each of her question I nodded in assent.  
"Da, da, all of those things, yes. I'll teach yu everything. Yu vill undergo radical change from vithin, and it vill be hard, but in end yu vill see that it vas all vorth it."  
She looked at me, her eyes shining with the hopes of a bright future. If only she knew what we, North Korea and I, had really planned for her.  
"And yu vill have new name." I continued  
"A new name? But…England already called me Parva, and I don't like that one…"  
"Oh, ve vill still call you Siromaa, but formal name vill be different, yes?"  
"How do you mean?"  
"Your new formal name vill be 'Siromaan Soviet Socialist Republic', or SSSR."  
"That sounds badass! SSSR…" she rolled the name around "I like that! When can we begin? Now?"  
"Not quite…" I said.  
Her enthusiasm was welcoming. I've never even heard of a nation that embraced communism as she did right now, usually it was connected with some sort of conflict. I guess to every rule there was an exception.  
"What? What do we have to do?" she inquired impatiently "I'll get It done so I can finally be a nation!"  
"There are formalities. Yu have to be recognized as nation to become one."  
"But…you recognize me…don't you?"  
"Da, but that not enough."  
"What do we have to do then?"  
"Ve do vhat all nations seeking recognition do…ve go to UN!"


End file.
